


Unsung Hero

by Dylan_Dufresne



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Family, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Relationship Issues, Truth & Lies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 05:19:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14205930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dylan_Dufresne/pseuds/Dylan_Dufresne
Summary: Rachel crosses paths with Steve, and words are exchanged.





	Unsung Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during 6.04. I thought it was weird that Steve wasn’t by Danny’s side while he was donating bone marrow for Charlie. With the recent developments on the show regarding a potential Danny/Rachel reunion, my brain came up with this. Also? I’m sure Claire van der Boom is a very nice woman, but I cannot say that I'm a fan of the character she plays on Hawaii Five-O.

Ivory colored Valentino high heels click against the polished asphalt tile floor in a sharp, steady rhythm as Rachel Edwards makes her way down a long hallway in the hospital, silently hoping for some peace and escape. Anything will be better than home, where her husband has taken to sleeping in the guest room furthest from the master suite, and her daughter is stubbornly giving her the silent treatment. Grace has always been such a well behaved girl, so to experience her sullen attitude in recent days has been especially trying. This morning, it was Grace’s flat refusal to come out of her bedroom that caused Rachel’s delay in arriving at the hospital, and now she has to wait, as Charlie’s doctor is not currently available to speak to her. She can’t even blame Daniel or his influence for their daughter’s behavior. This time, it’s all on her.

So caught up in her thoughts as she pushes open the glass door at the entrance of the Family Room, Rachel doesn’t notice at first that she’s not alone. It’s the exhale of breath nearby that brings her back to the present, and the imposing figure of Steve McGarrett, her ex-husband’s partner on the Five-O Task Force. She’s able to watch him for several moments, as he stands with his feet shoulder-width apart, the intricate tattoos on both biceps peeking out from the short sleeves of the deep blue polo shirt he’s wearing. With his service weapon and gold shield clipped to the waistband of tan cargo pants, Steve’s attention is focused out the large windows in front of him and the H1 highway not far away.

Rachel smoothes down her light blue silk wrap dress before acknowledging the other person in the room. “Commander.”

An intake of breath, and then Steve glances over his shoulder, giving her a sharp nod of acknowledgment. “Rachel.”

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Steve turns to face her, arms unwinding from across his chest and one hand coming to rest on his hip as a confused frown mars his features. “They’re harvesting Danny’s bone marrow this morning.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Rachel replies, her tone a tad sharp as she lifts her chin, just shy of defiant. “I just meant that I’m sure you have criminals to arrest or interrogate. Laws to enforce.”

The urge to roll his eyes is strong, but Steve manages to resist. Score one for military training. “The other members of Five-O are looking after things at the Palace, but thank you for your concern.”

“I just meant that I know you’re a busy man and I’m already here, so if you need to go…”

“Actually, I have a number of reasons to be here,” Steve advises as Rachel closes the distance between them at a measured pace that he suspects is forced. “Most important is that Danny asked me to be here. Second, Danny’s my friend and my partner. Where else would I be? And finally, I have Danny’s medical power of attorney, so I _need_ to be here.”

“It’s bone marrow,” Rachel says with a frown, taking a small step back. “It’s not a complicated procedure.”

“That’s true, however, any medical procedure has risks,” Steve replies evenly, not bothering to tell Rachel that he researched the bone marrow harvest procedure thoroughly, and knows what to expect after Danny is released from the hospital. The bedroom closest to Steve’s was made up nearly a week ago, in preparation for today. Of course, he was at Danny’s side when he signed the consent forms, which included the list of risks and possible complications. “But even if it were dangerous, that wouldn’t have stopped him. Danny would do anything for his children.”

When Rachel flinches, Steve knows he’s scored a direct hit, and it gives him a zing of pleasure, though his face remains passive.

“I’m aware of that,” Rachel says cooly. “I never said he wouldn’t.”

Glancing at the clock on the wall by the door, Steve adds, “They took him into the operating room almost an hour ago, in case you were wondering.”

Eyes flashing, Rachel opens her mouth to respond, but the sound of the door behind her causes her to bite back her retort.

“Steve?” A pretty brunette wearing cheerful pink scrubs and a teddy bear print surgical cap enters the Family Room. “Oh, hello Mrs. Edwards.”

“Hi Nalani,” Steve replies with a wide smile, greeting the nurse who helped prep Danny for his procedure early this morning.

“Everything went well, and Danny’s being moved to the recovery room,” she reports. “No complications.”

Steve is visibly relieved when he says, “That’s great news.”

“Once the team has Danny settled in his room, I’ll come find you.”

“Mahalo.”

Nalani smiles at Steve and then nods at Rachel. “Mrs. Edwards.”

“Thank you, Nalani,” she adds belatedly as the nurse turns to leave.

Once the glass door has closed, Steve turns his attention to his partner’s ex-wife. “Have you told Grace about Danny being Charlie’s father?” 

Eyes narrowing, Rachel bristles. “That’s none of your business.”

“Well, Danny asked me to call Grace after the procedure to let her know how everything went, and it _might_ be confusing to her if she has no idea what I’m talking about,” Steve responds with a shrug. He knows his partner insisted that Rachel be the one to tell Grace the truth about Charlie’s parentage, which would mean owning up to her years of lies. 

Heat colors her cheeks, and Rachel turns to face the wall of windows.

“She knows.” The words are stiff and clipped. “And while I accept that Daniel has chosen to discuss it with you, the fact remains is that this is a private matter, Commander.”

“The day I met Danny, I told him that I looked up to my father for the sacrifices he made, and that I thought Grace would feel the same way,” Steve recalls, touching the spot on his jaw where Danny’s fist had connected that first day. “After my father retired from the Navy, he joined HPD. I knew early on that his job was dangerous, but I also knew that he would do _everything_ he could to come home to his family. Danny and my father have that in common.”

Surprised that Steve has revealed something personal to her, Rachel inhales sharply, but before she can say anything, Steve resumes speaking.

“You knew Danny was a cop when you two got together. You married him, made a home together, had a child with him, and then one day you decided that didn’t work for you anymore.”

“Things change.” While Rachel tries to appear composed, her voice trembles slightly. “I tried. It was just...”

“Grace is amazing. Danny’s influence has helped shape her into a strong, intelligent and resourceful young woman, and no one who has seen them together would deny that,” Steve continues, knowing he should probably walk away, but this time he just can’t make himself do it. Too many times he’s seen his partner distraught over the mere idea that he could be separated from the little girl he loves more than life itself. The knowledge that Danny, a devoted father, was lied to and cruelly cut out of his son’s life is what compels him to speak up and defend his friend. 

“A couple of years ago, I found myself wondering, if the roles were reversed, would you have moved 5,000 miles to spend a mere handful of hours with your child every week, like Danny did? Would you leave your entire family behind? Your support system?” Steve shakes his head. “Then I realized that would never happen, because Danny would _never_ take his daughter away from her mother.”

Rachel turns to face Steve and opens her mouth to argue, only to change her mind at the sight of his steely glare.

“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Steve wonders aloud, shaking his head in disbelief. “Three years. You kept them apart for three years. More than a thousand days. The opportunities to bond on an instinctual level that can _never_ be replaced. Do you understand what you’ve robbed him of?”

In an attempt to pull herself together, Rachel tucks long strands of brown hair behind her right ear before pulling her shoulders back and crossing her arms over her chest. “Daniel can speak for himself.“

Steve raises an eyebrow in response. “I was referring to Charlie.”

At the unexpected words, Rachel rocks back on her heels like she’s been physically struck.

“There’s no question that your vendetta against Danny has hurt him, but you’ll never know how depriving that little boy of his father has changed him.” Steve doesn’t even try to hide his distaste at the woman standing in front of him. “I don’t understand how you justify using your children as weapons or maybe I just don’t want to.”

Shame colors Rachel’s cheeks and she averts her eyes.

“I have a promise to keep and a phone call to make. Excuse me.”

Stepping out of the Family Room and into the hall, Steve scrubs his hands over his face and then exhales gustily in an attempt to cool down before calling Grace to give her the good news. While he may come to regret some of his comments later, right now he feels good for giving his partner’s ex-wife a well-deserved blast.

“Uncle Steve!”

Surprised at the familiar voice, Steve scans the area until his eyes land on Grace standing near the nurses station next to the elevators. Her step-father, Stan Edwards, is at her side. “Gracie?” 

As the girl approaches at a hurried pace, Steve automatically opens his arms to welcome her close, and he lowers his head to press a kiss to the top of her head when her arms wrap around his waist.

“Where’s Danno?”

“I was about to call you to tell you that the procedure is done,” Steve reports, the palm of his hand sliding over her long dark hair in a soothing rhythm. “A nurse just told me that your dad’s in the recovery room. We’ll be able to see him soon.”

Grace looks up at Steve, trusting him to be honest with her. “So he’s okay?”

“Right now he’s probably sleeping,” Steve confirms with a smile. “But the nurse said that everything went just as they planned. So yes, he’s going to be okay.”

“Good.” Satisfied with what she’s heard, Grace gives Steve another hug.

Having walked at a slower pace, Stan approaches, his left hand gripping the strap of an overstuffed backpack.

“Grace, can you please give us a few minutes?” Stan requests.

Wordlessly, the girl nods and moves to a group of chairs a short distance away, tucking ear buds into place before her head starts to nod to the music she’s listening to.

Steve gives the other man a curious look. “I just spoke to Rach-”

“I have a favor to ask,” Stan interrupts, his jaw tightening at the mention of his wife’s name. “Well, Grace asked me, and I promised her that I would talk to you about it.”

Confused, Steve arches an eyebrow and nods. “Okay. What’s up?”

“Would it be possible for Grace to stay with you for a few days?” Stan asks, clearly uncomfortable as he tugs at the collar of his shirt with his free hand. “Things at the house are, well, I’m sure you can imagine. None of this is Grace’s fault, and she’s angry. Justifiably so. It’s not fair to her, and-”

“Of course,” Steve interjects, saving the other man’s awkward ramble. “She’s always welcome. Danny’s going to be staying at my house after he gets out of the hospital, so they’ll be able to spend some time together.”

“She’ll love that,” Stan says with a smile that is equal parts wistful and sad. “There’s no such thing as too much time with her Danno.”

“Stan-”

“Here are my numbers,” Stan interrupts, handing a business card to Steve and then the backpack. “If Grace needs anything, just give me a call and I’ll make sure she gets it. Anything at all.”

“Thank you for looking out for her,” Steve replies, glancing over at Grace. “If you want to see her, feel free to drop by the house.”

“I appreciate your help.”

“Stan?” Steve repeats. “I’m so sorry for all of this. Danny believed Rachel when she said that you were Charlie’s father.”

Stan nods stiffly. “It would appear that she lied to everyone.” 

“Is there anything else I can do?” Steve asks, belatedly realizing that he should have added Stan’s name to list of people hurt by Rachel’s deception.

“Actually yes.” Stan reaches into the inside of his suit jacket and pulls out a thick envelope. “If you could give this to Danny for me. Or his lawyer.”

“What is it?” Steve asks, warily accepting the proffered item.

“Paperwork for the amended birth certificate. Danny will need to sign the forms and return them to my attorneys. The mailing address is inside. They’ll take care of the rest and any court costs. A boy should have his father’s name.” Stan’s voice cracks over the last word, and he coughs in an attempt to cover it.

Nodding, Steve tucks the envelope into his back pocket. “I’ll make sure he gets it.”

“Thank you.”

“Steve?” Nalani says as she approaches the two men, a metal clipboard tucked under her arm. “Danny’s coming around and he’s asking for you.”

“I’ll be right there,” Steve replies before swinging the backpack over his shoulder and waving to get Grace’s attention. “Ready to see Danno?”

Smiling, Grace nods and gets to her feet, slipping the ear buds into her pants pocket. 

“Thanks again, Stan,” Steve says to the other man.

“Of course,” Stan responds, his gaze locked on Grace as she casually slips her hand into Steve’s larger one, like she’s done hundreds of times before. “Goodbye Grace.”

“Bye Stan. Thank you.”

“Nalani, lead the way,” Steve announces, turning to follow the nurse down the hallway.

“I told Stan you’d say yes, but he wanted to talk to you,” Grace says as they walk.

“I’m glad you said something to Stan,” Steve replies, releasing Grace’s hand so he can wrap an arm around her shoulders. “You know you can talk to me, too, right?”

“Of course. You’re Danno’s Super SEAL.”

Steve laughs and Grace joins him. “That I am.”

When they’re nearing the end of the hall, Steve looks over his shoulder, not really surprised to see that Stan hasn’t moved, and he’s been watching them walk away. Even at a distance, Steve can see the devastation in the other man’s now unguarded expression. In that moment, it dawns on Steve that he’s looking at a man who isn’t a father, biologically speaking, but who selflessly did what was best for both children under his care. It would seem that Danny and Stan have more in common than initially thought.

“Uncle Steve?”

“Yeah?” Steve replies, directing his attention to the girl at his side.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too, Gracie.”

When Steve looks back, he discovers that Stan has disappeared from view, his job complete, having entrusted Grace to Steve’s care. While Danny may be the one who underwent a medical procedure to help save a life today, he’s definitely not the only one to put the needs of others before his own. 

Not all heroes wear capes.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Fin 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, etc. would be very much appreciated as they’re my drug of choice. :)


End file.
